Perkins Opera House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Perkins Opera House
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| Location | Monticello, Florida |
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| Built | 1890 |
| Architectural style | Masonry Vernacular with Romanesque Revival elements |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000330 |
| Added to NRHP | September 14, 1972 |
The Perkins Opera House (also known as the Monticello Opera House) is a really old and important theater in Monticello, Florida, United States. You can find it at the corner of Washington Street and Jefferson Street. It's a special place where people used to watch shows and where they still do today!
Contents
History
A Building with a Big Dream
The Perkins Opera House was named after a businessman named John H. Perkins. He lived in Monticello. When new railroads started bringing travelers through town, Monticello wanted to build hotels and fun places for tourists.
Mr. Perkins got a special deal: he wouldn't have to pay taxes for ten years. In return, he had to build a place with shops and a theater. An architect named W. R. Gunn helped build it. The opera house was finished in 1890.
What Was Inside?
The building had three main sections on the first floor. These were Mr. Perkins's businesses. There was a general store, a sewing machine shop, a hardware store, and a farm supply store.
Behind the building, Mr. Perkins also built a stable. Here, he sold horses, mules, and wagons. The second floor of the Perkins Block was very grand. It had a large entrance area and the opera house itself. This theater was known for its amazing acoustics (how sound travels) and had the biggest stage in the area.
The Golden Age of Performances
Mr. Perkins hoped his opera house would become a major theater in the South. For several years, many different shows came to Monticello. There were professional touring groups and local vaudeville acts. Famous plays like The Mikado and She Stoops to Conquer were performed here.
A Change in Plans
Sadly, things changed after the early 1900s. The railroads were rerouted and no longer went through Monticello. Wealthy visitors who used to spend winters in north Florida started going to places further south. This meant fewer people came to the opera house, and it began to lose money.
Mr. Perkins couldn't attract the big theater productions anymore. He stopped having live shows. One of the last performances featured LeRoy Collins, who later became the Governor of Florida. There was an attempt to turn the building into a movie theater, but it didn't work out. The main theater area was left empty and started to fall apart.
Saving the Opera House
In 1972, some people in Monticello had a great idea. They wanted to save the opera house, which had falling plaster and a leaky roof. It was almost torn down!
They formed a group to help young performers and fix up the opera house. This group was called the Monticello Opera Company. They held their first fundraising event in March 1972.
On October 17, 1973, the Monticello Opera House, Inc. bought the building. They used money from fundraising, a grant from the State of Florida, and a special donation from Mrs. Dorothy Simpson.
Ongoing Restoration
Even today, people are still working to maintain and restore the building. The Florida Department of State helped with a project to fix the original stairway. This stairway leads to the balcony seating in the auditorium. The work made sure the building followed fire safety rules. This way, people could safely use the balcony seats again.
They tried to keep the original look of the building. They even used old molding and wood panels where they could. The balcony seats were still there, but the seats on the main level had to be replaced. New seats were donated by Tallahassee Community College when they updated their own theater. Volunteers from the community helped install all the "new" seats.
Making it Accessible
The downstairs area of the opera house was updated to help people with disabilities. But the theater itself didn't become fully accessible until May 2004. In 1999, $25,000 was donated to start a fundraiser for an elevator. This donation was made in memory of Dr. Gerald M. Cathey.
Over the next two years, another $25,000 was raised through donations and money from shows. Then, a $50,000 grant from the Department of State helped them hire a construction company. This allowed them to finally add the elevator.
Present Usage
Today, the Monticello Opera House is a busy place! It's used for many different events. You can find children's theater performances here. They also host fun murder mystery dinners and large musicals. The patio and gazebo in the back are popular spots for weddings and receptions.
Images for kids
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The Perkins Opera House, seen from the east side
